BATTLE OF AVERASBORO’.
March 15–16, 1865.
This fight commenced about noon, and lasted till night. Skirmishing continued all night, and on the morning of the 16th, the battle was renewed, with great fury. Severe fighting took place during the day, without satisfactory results. The enemy held his position, although suffering heavy loss. Everything indicated the presence of Hardee’s whole army corps. He evacuated the line, during the night of the 16th, however, and fell back to Averasboro’, pursued by Ward’s division of the Twentieth corps. His dead and wounded were left on the field, and abandoned along the road to Averasboro’. General Ward pressed up to Averasboro’, holding the plank road in front, while the balance of the command moved off to the right, across Black river, on the Goldsboro’ road, now uncovered. The National loss in this fight was four hundred and forty-six in the Twentieth corps, one hundred and eight in the Fourteenth, and one hundred and seventy-one in Kilpatrick’s command—total, seven hundred and thirty-seven. The number of rebels, buried on the field, and paroled wounded, was three hundred and twenty-seven—exclusive of those they carried off, and the unhurt prisoners captured by the Unionists.
The advance of General Sherman was immediately continued, in an easterly direction from Averasboro’, along the Goldsboro’ road. General Johnston had suddenly moved from Raleigh, and concentrated his entire force at a village called Bentonsville, on this road, eighteen miles from Averasboro’, intending to fall on Sherman’s left flank and overwhelm it, before the arrival of its cooperating column. But the Union commander, anticipating such a movement, was wholly prepared for it.
A battle ensued at Bentonsville, the Union line being complete and strong, and the rebels on the defensive, in intrenchments.